Quincy council votes to ban synthetic marijuana

Quincy’s city council voted unanimously Tuesday to ban the use, possession or sale of synthetic marijuana, joining a growing number of towns enacting such laws. The drugs, most commonly known as “fake...

By Patrick Ronan

The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA

By Patrick Ronan

Posted Nov. 13, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 13, 2013 at 1:10 PM

By Patrick Ronan

Posted Nov. 13, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 13, 2013 at 1:10 PM

QUINCY

» Social News

Brian Murray saw a lot of people high on drugs while working as a substance-abuse counselor back in the 1980s. Thirty years later, he says the most intoxicated he’s ever seen someone was after his son and his son’s friends smoked synthetic marijuana.

“The stupefication of these children under the influence of this synthetic marijuana far overshadows any of the people I’ve seen on heroin, opioids, crack, cocaine, any number of other drugs that were available in the mid to late ’80s,” Murray told the city council Tuesday.

Quincy’s city council later voted unanimously to ban the use, possession or sale of synthetic marijuana, joining a growing number of towns enacting such laws. The drugs, most commonly known as “fake weed,” “K2” or “Spice,” are often passed off as incense or potpourri and are sold in small pouches at convenience stores and gas stations.

Synthetic marijuana generally includes a mixture of spices sprayed with a synthetic compound that, when smoked, is meant to mimic the effects of marijuana. Experts say the drugs, sold in colorful packaging, some containing cartoon characters like Scooby Doo, can have severe and unpredictable effects when used, including vomiting, seizures, hallucinations and suicidal thoughts.

Murray, a non-Quincy resident who didn’t want to disclose his hometown, shared his family’s experience with synthetic marijuana during Tuesday’s city council subcommittee meeting.

“These kids are walking right around the corner, going down to the store for you to get a loaf of bread and a bag of this synthetic marijuana,” Murray said. “‘Here’s your bread, ma. I’m going upstairs. Goodnight.’”

Two week ago, Quincy mother Kathy Keough told councilors about her teenage son’s crazed episode with the drug in which he was sobbing one moment and screaming the next. Keough is pushing state lawmakers to pass legislation that would crack down on new versions of so-called “legal highs,” which are able to skirt existing laws because manufacturers can change their formulations as soon as any one ingredient is outlawed.

Quincy’s local ordinance, filed by Ward 3 Councilor Kevin Coughlin, will take effect once Mayor Thomas Koch signs it into law, which he has 10 days to do. Coughlin said the ordinance was written explicitly to give police “wide authority” to prohibit anything matching the general description of synthetic marijuana.

At-large City Councilor Joseph Finn praised the new ordinance.

“This is a Trojan horse,” Finn said of the synthetic marijuana. “The destruction that this brings into people’s lives is absolutely incredible.”

Last month Middleboro joined Avon, Taunton and North Attleboro as local communities adopting ordinances banning the sale, possession or use of synthetic marijuana.

In other business Tuesday, the city council:

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Unanimously recommended that Mayor Thomas Koch negotiate host agreements with business owners looking to open medical marijuana dispensaries in Quincy.

Approved a home-rule petition that would give Quincy College, the state’s only municipally-run college, more operational autonomy. College president Peter Tsaffaras said the changes are needed in order for the college to get reaccreditation.

Patrick Ronan may be reached at pronan@ledger.com or follow him on Twitter @PRonan_Ledger.